Reitsma weighs his options after being cut

Reliever Chis Reitsma, in camp on a minor league deal as he recovers from elbow surgery, was sent to minor league camp Wednesday morning.

Technically that is. The reality is that Reitsma doesn’t know if he wants to go to Triple-A Tacoma, and he’s going to explore with his agent finding a major league deal.

However, he doesn’t have the right to become a free agent. He could ask the Mariners to let him out of his contract, but they don’t have to. And they’ve made it clear they want him to stay as part of the organization.

The trouble for pitchers and hitters who get sent down in the final week of the season is that jobs elsewhere are at a premium because the other 29 big league club also are cutting down.

While the Mariners don’t seem to think Reitsma has the arm they need right now, Reitsma said as he packed up, ”I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe I could pitch in the major leagues.”